Reynolds Rockets ride familiar names to multiple conference titles

by Chris Womack

Reynolds rolls (WLOS Staff).jpg

Asheville —

WLOS - Legendary Green Bay Packers head coach Vince Lombardi once said, "Winning is a habit." If that is the case, A.C. Reynolds High School has mastered the habit. During the 2017-18 school year the Rockets have captured Western Mountain Athletic Conference titles in football, boys soccer, boys basketball, and baseball. "The culture at the high school is really good, and I think its just passed on from sport to sport," remarked head baseball coach Bryan Craig.

His roster, which secured the league title earlier this week with a 10-0 win over rival T.C. Roberson, is littered with faces fans may have heard during other seasons. The line-up has seven players that are multi-sport athletes, including Richmond football commit Talon James, quarterback Alex Flinn who is garnering national interest, and basketball three-point specialist Jalen Crowder. "It's the bond, really," explained Crowder, adding that he's grown up playing baseball with Flinn and several other teammates. "Over the summer [you] hang out with them, get to know them better, [and] come out here and play the game with them."

Flinn recently took top honors at a football skills camp in Atlanta, but finds aspects of both games that are irresistible. "In football I like the team bond. Everyone's got to do their job. and then I like hitting people too," he smiled. "But I mean for baseball, it's definitely a team atmosphere as well but everyone gets an individual shot in the box."

It's no coincidence that some of the same players are contributing to multiple stellar squads. "The bond and culture that our football team has carries over directly to our baseball team," stated Flinn.

The Rockets will begin their state title quest next week once the playoff brackets are revealed. "We feel like we can make a big run, go to state, maybe win it all," Crowder said. That sounds familiar for teams in green and gold.